The Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission voted unanimously Thursday to ask the City Council to consider doubling the hotel tax, which is currently the only source of income for the commission.

The hotel tax, implemented in 2000 with the creation of Russellville's A&P, has remained steady at 1.5 percent for the past six years. Although the commission has previously discussed raising the tax, which is paid by out-of-town guests who stay in local hotels, it has not officially requested an increase until now.

According to A&P Executive Director Christie Graham, the hotel tax garnered an estimated $131,000 in 2006, which was spent on promoting and hosting events such as the Smash Mouth Bass Invitational tournament, BassMasters tournaments and several other events.

Graham and A&P Chairman Brad Allen each said with their current budget, they often turn away events that could potentially be revenue sources for the city, simply because the commission can't afford to host them.

"We turn down numerous events each year due to financial shortages," Graham said. "We just don't have enough finances right now to bring in all that we could in a year."

She said raising the city's hotel tax from 1.5 to the 3 percent maximum would not be atypical compared to other cities in Arkansas.

"Most towns have a 2 to 3 percent hotel tax, so we are actually just trying to bring our town's A&P up to par," she said. "It is our only source of income."

Graham added most larger cities in Arkansas also rely on a restaurant tax, which Russellville does not currently have.

The hotel tax increase proposal must be approved by the Russellville City Council to be implemented. Graham said the commission would present a more detailed proposal to the city's finance committee at Tuesday's scheduled meeting at City Hall.